Tractor-hitch



W. L. CANNIFF.

TRACTOR HITCH. APPLICATION FILED MAY3,19I9.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM .1 cannrrr, or JANESVILLE, coarona'rron, or DETROIT,

wrsconsm, assrenoa T0 GENERAL morons women,

A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

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To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. CANNIFF, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Janesville, Rock county, State of WVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tractor-Hitches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to draft devices for use with plows which are to be drawn by traction engines or tractors, and the object thereof is to provide a draft device having features of construction whereby it. may be used with plows having various numbers of individual plow elements or plow bottoms;

so that draft devices all of one standard type and size, and identical in ,all respects one with another, may be applied t05 and used to draw two bottom, three bottom or four bottom plows.

Heretofore plows having different 'num-' bers or separate lows or bottoms have been equipped with raft devices differing one and each capable of use only with the particular sizeof plow for which it was designed; even though such devices may have been all of one made up of elements differing one from another only in detail. Such a practice, as will be appreciated, has necessitated the manufacture and storage of draft devices differing but little one from another, as a sufficient supply of the particular forms thereof adapted for use with each size of plow manufactured had to be kept in stock;-

and has prevented the standardization of the draft devices and the securing of the advantages incident to the manufacture and use of astandard product.

My invention contemplates a draft device having features of construction whereby it may be usedlto draw plows of such different sizes as are commonly made and used, thus providing a single standard device capable of use with different sizes of plows or plows having diiferent numbers of plow bottoms. Of course the strains to which the device is subjected when in use are greater in the case of the larger than in the case of the smaller plows; but the structural material which will as a matter of practical necessity be general type and Specification of Letters Patent. Patented, Nov, 15, 1921, Application fllcdKa-y 3, 1919. Serial NO. 294. 472.

larger sizes of plows with which it is designed to be used.

11' the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification and wherein the preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated, although it will be appreciated 6 that the same may be embodied in various other forms all within the scope of the coneluding claims:

Fi re 1 is a view showing my invention as ap bed to a four bottom plow;

ig. 2' is a view showing the same as used with a three bottom plow;

Fig. 3 is a 'view showing my invention upon a larger scale, and as applied to a plow having two bottoms or individual plows;

Fig. 4 is-a view showing a detail; and,

Figs.- 5 and 6 are views showing two of the various positions which the parts of my improved draft device may be made to assume in adjusting the same.

In the drawing, the reference numeral 10 designates a draw bar the forward end of"' which is connected with a tractor shown conventionally in Fig. 2 through any suitable connecting member 11, and the rear 80 end of which is pivotally connected with a cross bar 12 adjacent one end thereof, and which cross bar in turn is connected with the forward ends of the beams of the plows which are drawn by the tractor and through which cross bar the pull of the tractor is communicated to the plows. The reference numeral. 13 designates an adjusting bar the rear end of which is also pivotally connected with the cross bar 12 adjacent the other end thereof, and the forward end of which is pivotally connected with a link 14 and which link is pivotally connected with the draw bar 10 at 15; said link being provided with an adjusting member shown as in the form of a curved segment 16 formed integrally therewith, and having a plurality of holes spaced apart one from another, as best shown in 3.

The segment 16 is con med by a clip 17 secured to the draw bar 10, see Fig. 4-; and a pin 18 may be passed through holes in the clip and draw bar 10, and through one or another of the holes in the segment 16 whereby the relation of the parts may be changed and said parts made to assume the positions shown in Figs. 5 and 6, as well as other positions.

a hereof, irrespective of to the cross bar,

The purpose of the adjustment thus pro- .vided for is to vary the angle or direction of the line of pull or tractive effort exerted upon the crossbar through the draw bar 10 and theadjustiiig bar 13, and cause the plows to draw properly, and cut furrows of the proper width; 1t being appreciated that while the bar 10 is referred to as the draw bar the pull upon the cross bar 12 is in fact transmitted thereto cross bar and the adjusting bar 13, and that the feature of adjustability of the two bars in question provided for as above pointed out is quite independent of the number of separate plows orbottoms being pulled by the tractor; the purpose of the elements,

whereby adjustment is provided for being ,b to cause the plow as a whole to follow the tractor properly, and to turn furrows of the proper width, irrespective of the number of separate plowsor bottoms being pulled at any given time. In order to adapt made up of elements above enumerated to plows havingdifi'erent numbers of individual plows or bottoms, so that two bottom, three bottom or four bottom plows may be equipped with draft devices all of one standard size and construction, the cross bar 12 is provided withseries of holes adjacent each of its ends; which holes permit the points of attachment of the rear ends of the bars 10, 13, as'well also as the points of connection between the cross bar I and the cam clevis which in turn is connected with the beams of the plows to be pulled, to be varied in the different sizes of plows.

Theconstruction'above explained and the capability of variation incident thereto above pointed out enables the line -of pull alo which tractive force is exerted on the plow to be positioned approximately centrally the number of separate plow bottoms with which the plow is equipped. 4

The fine adjustment which is desirable in order to cause a particular plow to follow a tractor properly, and the individual plows thereof to cut furrows of the proper width, is provided for the'perforated segment 16; although it will the cross bar,

through both the said hand end holes the draft mechanism" draft devices all of one standard form and of like size to be used with plows having different numbers of plow bottoms, series of holes are provided adjacent the two ends of the between the rear ends of the and between the cross bar and the plow, may be varied within comparatively wide limits.

'l hus in Fig.1; the beam clevis 20 through -wh1ch the frontends of the beams 21 of the connected with tending through the right-hand end holes of the series of holes at the two ends of the cross while the connections between the rear 10, 1 3 and the said cross bar ts'passing through the leftof the two series, thus bringmg the line of pull'along which the tractive force of the tractor is exerted between the two inner plows of the series.

In Fig. 2 the connections between the cross bar 12 and the beam clevis 22 at the forward ends of the three separate plows therein are made by bol illustrated are unchanged, but the rear ends of the bars 10, 13 are connected with the cross bar by bolts passing through the middle holes of the two series of holes, thus bringing the line of pull close series nected with the cross bar by bolts passing throulgh the left-hand holes of the two series of ho es, and the rear ends of the bars 10, 13 by bolts extending through the middle holes of the two series, the line of pull being between the beams 25 of the two plows there shown and closest to the left-hand one of said plows.

It will be appreciated that the two series of holes at the ends of the cross bar 12 may holes in each, should a ticular manufacturing establishment. It wlll also be appreciated that while the construction of my improved draft device is such that draft devices of standard constructionand identical one with another may be applied to two bottom, three bottom, four bottom and other sizes or types of low, it is not contemplated that'the connectlons between the plow clevis and the cross bar, or between the bars 10, 13 and the cross bar, will be disturbed after said connections have been determined upon and properly made by the vmanufacturer; such adjustment as the user may find it desirable to make being provided for by the bar 18,- link 14, and curved segment 16, as hereinbefore explained.

The drawing illustrates and the foregoing specification describes in detail the preferred embodiment of my invention. It will be appreciated, however, that minor changes may be made-in the device disclosed, and the mechanica-L details thereof varied, without departing from my invention; and that my invention includes all such variations and modifications of the specific form thereof herein disclosed as come within the scope of the concludin claims wherein the features wherein my invention consists are particularly pointed out.

Having thus described and explained my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent: H i

' 1. In a draft device of the class described, a cross bar; a draft bar the rear end of which is pivotally connected with said cross bar adjacentione end thereof; an adjusting bar the rear end of which is pivotally con-- nected with said cross bar adjacent the other end thereof; a link pivotally connected with said draft bar and with which link the forward end of said adjusting bar is pivotally connected; a curved adjusting segment formed integrally with said link and having a series of spaced holes each of which may be made to register with a hole in said draft bar; and two series of holes in said cross bar and located one series adjacent each end thereof.

2. In a draft device of the class described, a cross bar; a draft bar the rear end of which is pivotally connected with said cross bar adjacent one end thereof; an adjusting bar the rear end of which is pivotally connected with said cross bar adjacent the other end thereof; a link pivotally connected with said draft bar and with which link the forward end of said adjusting bar is pivotally connected; an ad'usting member connected with said link an having a series of spaced holes each of which ma be made to register with a hole in said dra bar; and two series of holes in said cross bar and located one series adjacent each end thereof.

3. In a draft device of the class described, a cross bar; a draft bar the rear end of which is piv tally connected with said cross bar adjacen one end thereof; an adjusting bar the rear end of which is pivotal y connected with said cross bar adjacent the other ,end thereof; a link pivotally connected with which link the forting bar is pivotally said draft bar and with ward end of said adjus connected; and a curved adjusting segment formed integrally with said link and having a series of spaced holes each of which may be made to register with a hole in said draft bar. 4. In'a draft device of the class described, a cross bar; a draft bar the rear end of which is pivotally connected with said cross a draft bar the rear end of which is adapted to be pivotally connected with a cross bar; an adjusting bar the rear end of which is adapted to be pivotally connected with said cross bar at a point spaced apart from the pivotal connection between the draft bar and cross bar; a link pivotally'connected with said draft bar and the free end of which is pivotally connected with the forward end of said adjusting bar; an adjusting member connected with said link; and means for securing said adjusting member to said draft bar'in a plurality of positions, to thereby adjust the position of said adjusting member. H

6. In a draft-device of the class described, a draft bar the rear end of which is adapted to be ivotally connected with a cross bar; an ad usting bar the rear end of which is adapted to be pivotally connected with said cross bar at a point spaced apart from the pivotal connection between the draft bar and cross bar; a link pivotally connected with said draft bar and the free end of which is pivotally connected with theforward end of said ad usting bar; a curved adjusting segment connected with said link at or adjacent the pivotal connection between the forward end of said adjusting bar and said link; and means for securing said adjusting segment and saiddraft bar together in a plurality of positions to thereby adjust the position of said link.

' In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM L. CANNIFF. 

